Method of making type-writer blanks.



' w. ARMSTRONG.

ME,THbD OF MAKING TYPE WRITER BLANKS. APPLICATION FILED NOV. I2, 1915.

1,203,168. Patented 0ct. 31,1916.

J5 1 I z 11 J I H19 IN VEN TOR.

WM B Y W A TTORNE YS.

WALTER ARMSTRONG, OF CHICOPEE. MASSACHUSETTS.

METHOD 0? MAKING- TYPE-WRITER BLANKSQ Specification of Letters Patent.

" Patented eat. an rare.

Application filed November 12, 1915. Serial No. 61,058.

To all whom may concern;

Be it known that l, WALTER ARMSTRONG, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing in Chicopee, county of Hampden and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in theMethod of Making Type Writer Blanks, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in the method of forming the typeblanks which are attached by soldering or otherwise, to the end of thetype bar of a typewriting machine.

Heretofore, it has been the common practice to cut the slot in the typeblank itself by milling or otherwise, but this process is necessarilyslow and expensive and not always accurate unless great care isexercised by the workman.

Broadly, the invention consists, first, in forming the slot in a typeblank by punching or press-work, the material from which the blank isformed being provided with oppositely extending wing portions and acentrally disposed thickened portion, the thickened portion being forcedthrough a die by means of a suitable plunger; the plunger during thepunching operation serving to fold the wing portions of the blank towardeach other to form the groove therebetween, The second step in theoperation consists in placing the blank between two blocks which aresuitably clamped in a rolling machine for rolling the letter in thethickened portion, whereby when the roll of the type forming machine ismoved over the thickened portion of the blank, the character is rolledinto the thickened part of the blank, and, finally removing the thinrolled edges from the type blank, either by grinding or breaking themofi after the blanks are hardened.

Heretofore it has been the common practice in making type-blanks, onwhich type characters are formed, to form the same from a solid piece orbar, by first rolling or otherwise forming the type characters in onecuring the type blank on the type bars of the machine.

lhis method is found to be objectionable for the reason-that very oftenthe type characters on the blanks, after they are formed, are veryliable to be injured during the process of clamping the blanks in theeration is substantially reversed. That is to i say, the blank or barfrom which the type blank is formed consists of a piece of metal hav nga thickened central portion and oppositely extending wing portions witha do pression between the wings. This bar is first operated upon toproduce the groove therein by folding the wings toward each other intocontact with a plunger that serves as a gage (see Fig. 2). This providesan accurate means for forming the grooves and for suitably supportingthe blank during the operation of rolling the type characters into theedge of the blank or bar, then removing by grinding, or otherwise, thesurplus material from the sides of the blank produced by the operationof forming the characters and finally hardening'the same prior to itsattachment to the typcwritter bar.

By reversing the usual operations above referred to there is no dangerof injuring the type characters,'for the reason that the operation offorming the characters in the blank is last instead of first. Thematerial composing the type blanks, is of course, soft during the timeof the o erations of rolling the characters and of orming the groovetherein. Therefore, the characters'arc Very easily injured in theheretofore known process of cutting the grooves after the characters areformed. in my invention the characters being formed last are, therefore,

less liable to beinjured. The usual hard-' ening process takes placeafter the other op-' erations are completed.

Referring to the drawings: Figure l is an end elevational view, on anenlarged scale showing theshape or form of the blank from whichthefinished blank ,is'made, having laterally extending taperedwing-portions and the thickened center portion; Fig. 2 illustrates themethod of punching; the blanks by forcing the same through a die. bymeans of a suitable plunger; Fig. 3 illustrates the method ofclamping-the ianks in a rolling machine after the wings have been foldedby the press, as referred to in Fig.

llli

1 blank being been rolled or formed therein in its upper surface; andFig. 5 illustrates the finished blank ready for soldering or otherwisesecuring the same to the type-bar of the machine; Fig. 6 is a detailside view of the supporting tongue or plate; Fig. 7 is a sectional viewon the line 77 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of one of the clamping blocks.

Referring to the drawings in detaili The blank of soft steel from whichthe type blank is formed, shown in Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale,comprises a thickened portion 1 having oppositely extending wings 2which taper from the center toward their extremities. This blank isformed with a depression 3 between the wings, the length of which issubstantially equal to the width of the finished groove. It is to beunderstood that the plunger 4: is slightly tapered, as

illustrated in Fig. 2. This plunger engages the depression 3 of theblank, the thickened portion 1 of the blank having previously beeninserted in the opening 5 in the die late 6, with the thickened portion1 remainmg undisturbed by the punching operation,

The next step in the process of forming the type-blank is to take theblank, after it leaves the punch press shown in Fig. 2, with the wings 2folded toward each other, and

place the same on the upper end of a plate or tongue 8, as shown in Fig.3 which has a very slight ta red surface 8'. This late is now clampebetween blocks 9 an 10, the thickened portion 1 of the blank extendingabove the upper surface 11 of the blocks 9 and 10. The characterwhichthe type blank is to hear when finished is formed in the thickenedportion 1 by means of the presser roller 12 which is passed back andforth over the thickened portion 1, as indicated by the arrows 13 and14, the direction of the pressure of the roller being indicated by thearrow 15. The type-blank is now removed from the plate 8 by simplyforcing the plate upward from below by applying an upward force on thelower end 8 This causes the blank to be placed in a position abovetheblocks for ready removal from the plate. At the termination of the 5rolling operation the blank has assumed the form shown in Fig. 4 inwhich the character of the blank indicated at 15. has'been rolled orformed in the thickened portion 1 of the blank and the wings 16 and 17have been moved toward each other so that the inner sides of the recess7 are very nearly parallel with each.other,'the upper outer sides of thethe purpose of" preventing the blocks from slightly tapered, clearly,shown in Flg. .5, the taper portion being for catching on each otherduring the operation of the typewriting machine. The blank is finallysecured to the type-bar by soldering or otherwise. It will be noticedthat the operations for formin the type are very rapid and accurate,oing away entirely with the grinding process of making the block. Thethin wing portions 18 are readily removed after the blank is tempered bygrinding or breaking the same on the line 18'. -'The slightly taperedportion of the wings 16 and 17 are formed by the inclined surfaces 19 inthe adjacent edges of the blocks 9 and 10. I

It should be particularly observed that the length and depth of thedepression 3 is 'wings to be folded properly, or, in other words thewings fold from the point 3.

An important feature of my invention is the formation of the groove 7'between the wings 16 and 17 of the finished blank, by means of the punchand die operation shown in Fig. 2. nether important feature of myinvention is the placing of the blank, as it leaves the punch press, onthe upper end of theplate or tongue 8 and clampmg the same between theblocks 9 and 10 during the process of rolling the character in thethickened portion of the blank, and, at the same time, by means of theinclined surfaces 19,

form the outer sides of the finished wings with inclined surfaces, asclearly shown in .Fig. 5. As the blank leaves the punch press the innerwalls of the groove 7 are slightly tapered. .Asthe blank leaves theplate or tongue 8 after the type character has been formed in thethickened portion 1 the inner surface of the walls of the groove 7between the wings are very nearly parallel and the outer surface of thewing extensions are slightly inclined, this inclination being producedby means of the inclined surfaces 19 of thBblOCkS 9 and 10. It should bestated clamped together, and, the plate or tongue 8 is free to'slidebetween these blocks for elevating the blank above the iblockswhen thestarting. point. of successfully making or forming. the finished blanktype lies the shape or configuration, in cross section, of thepiece ofmetal shown in Fig.- 1. Unless that the blocks 9 and 10, are permanentlyy a depression, as 3, of suitable depth is formed therein between thewings 2 they cannot be properly folded in the manner herein described toproduce the groove 7 5 therebetween without breaking the material at thepoint where the wings are connected to the thickened portion 1.

What I claim is:

1., The method of forming a type blank for use in a typewriting machinefrom a two oppositely extending wing portions, which consists in firstforcingthe blank. by means of a plunger through an opening, the wingportions of the blank being .forced or folded toward each other by suchoperation, then clamping the blank between two blocks with the thickenedportion extending above the blocks, the blank resting upon a suitablesupport for spacing the wings, then, rolling the letter or character inthe thickened portion of the blank by means of a roller bearting theletter or-character to be formed in "the blank, the rolling operationresulting in 2 forming wing portions containing surplus material, then,hardening the blank, and finally removing the surplus wing portions ofthe same.

2. The method of forming atype blank.

from a blank having oppositely extended wing-shaped portions,and athickened cen-" ter portion, which consists first in placing thethickened portion in the 'opening of 'a die and forcing the blankthrough the diev b pbrtions tobe folded toward each other, to form agroove between the said wings, second, clamping the blank between twoblocks on a supporting piece therebetween, next, forming the characterin the thickened portion of the blank by means of a roller, andsimultaneously forming the outer and inner sides of the wing portion ofthe blank,-andlastly finishing y removing surplus material that isformed by the rolling process. 3. Themiethod of forming a type blankwhich consists, first, 'in forcing a blank having oppositely extending,wing-shaped portions and a thickened portion, through a die, thepunching element being slightly tapered, then, placing the blank on asupporting piece having nearly parallel sides and clamping the blank andsupporting piece.

\ between two blocks, the adjacent sides of 5 the block that engages theouter sides of the wings of the blankbeing slightly tapered, nextrolling the character to be formed in the thickened portion of the blockby means of a roller bearing the character.

4. The method of forming a type blank with a groove or recess in oneedge thereof,

which consists in forcing a blank having oppositely extending laterallydisposed wing .-portions with a depression or recess and a dependingthickened portion or part beblank havinga thickened center portion andmeans of a plunger for causing the wing tween said wing portions,through an open- I ing in a die plate by means of a plunger enblank bymeans of a tongue engaging the groove, second, clamping the blankbetween :two blocks with the stock of the material composing the blankthat is above the groove extending above the upper surface of theclamping blocks, and finally forming the type character in said partabove the upper end of the supporting plate by means of-a pressureroller engaging the thickened portion.

6. The method of forming a type blank to produce a groove therein, froma blank consisting of a piece having a depending thickened centerpoi-tion and oppositely extending wing portions and a depression betweenthe said wing portions and above'the depending thickened portion byforcing said blank through an opening by means of a plunger engaging thedepression whereby the wing portions are folded inward toward theplunger, the depression serving the purpose of allowing thewing-portions to readily fold.

7. The method of forming type characters in a type thereo which consistsin supporting the blank by means of a plate engaging the groove, second,clamping the blank between two blocks with the stock of the materialblank, having a groove in one edgecomposing the blank that is above thegroove extending above the upper surface of the .bearing characters areto be formed comprising a piece of metal having a thickened portion inthe edge of which the characters are to be formed, and wing portions onthe opposite sides of the thickened portion, the thickened portionhaving a depression between the'wings' and below the upper plane of thewings.

10. A blank from which typewriter blanks bearing characters are to beformed, com-' prising incross section a centrally located thickened parthaving oppositely extending wings'with a depression between the wings Aand below the "upper plane of the same. I 11. A blank or bar from whichtypewriter blanks bearing characters are to be formed, said blankcomprising a thickened central portion in the edge of which thecharacters are to be formed and having wings formed on the oppositesides of said portion for the purpose of forming a supporting groovewhen said Wings are bent toward each other,

13 The method of forming a groove in a type blank from a blank or barhaving a epending thickened central portion with a wing on its oppositesides which consists in bending the wings toward each other against aplunger which serves as a gage plate 14. The method of forming atype-blank from a blank, or bar, having a centrally located thickenedportion in the edge of which the type characters art to be formed andoppositely arranged wihg portions, which consists, first, in bending thewing portion toward each other against a plunger which serves as a gageto form a groove between the wings, second, supporting the blank, orbar, by means of a plate engaging the groove,

then clamping the blank and its supporting plate between blocks, thenrolling or forming the characters in the edge of the thickened portion15. The method of forming a type blank which consists, first, in forcinga blank having oppositely extending wing-shaped portions and a thickenedportion, through a die, then, placing the blank on a supporting pieceand clamping the blank and supporting piece between two blocks andfinally rolling the character to be formed in the thickened portion ofthe blank by means of a roller hearing the character.

16. The method of forming type characters in a type blank having agroove in one edge thereof, which consists in supporting the blank bymeans of a tongue engaging the groove, second, clamping the blankbetween two blocks with the stock of the material composing the blankthat is above the groove extending above the upper surface of theclamping blocks, and finally forming the type character in said partabove the upper end of the supporting plate by means of a device bearingthe type character which exerts lpressure on the thickened portion ofthe blan WAL'IER ARMSTRONG.

